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Our Approach - CASA — CASA

WE CREATE UNIQUE LIVING ENVIRONMENTS

We pride ourselves on realising the inherent benefits of selected premium sites, allowing us to create unique opportunities for our clients.

CASA is operated by GFM, Australian living Sector specialists creating and managing places that inspire people.

Read GFM profile

Built on solid foundations

Rarity

We unlock rare opportunities to create one-of-a-kind buildings of enduring value in sought-after lifestyle locations.

Sophistication

We combine design, experience and personalisation to deliver timeless, high-quality residences for discerning buyers.

Authenticity

Our buildings respond to the context of their locations and are designed to create memorable and authentic living experiences.

Commitment

We treat customers with respect and care, delivering high-quality outcomes and exceeding expectations. We share a commitment to creating value.

PASSIONATE EXPERTISE

Collectively, our leadership team has a wealth of experience in shaping, creating and delivering homes across Australia for more than 25 years.

Renato Calandro
Renato Calandro
Head of Casa
John Easy
John Easy
Head of Funds Management & General Counsel
Sam Nathan
Sam Nathan
Director of Markets
Ash Roberts
Ash Roberts
Senior Design Manager
Matt Leyshon
Matt Leyshon
Head of Origination & Development Director
Ross Osidacz
Ross Osidacz
Senior Development Manager
Toby Lyng
Toby Lyng
Acquisitions Manager – VIC
Ben Edwards
Ben Edwards
Acquisitions Manager - NSW
Kimberley Brooke
Kimberley Brooke
Development Project Manager
Every Detail Is Deeply Considered
Renato Calandro

Renato Calandro

Head of Casa

Renato has over 25 years’ experience in the acquisition, design and delivery of premium residential property across all major Australian markets, including several executive positions at Frasers Property, Grocon and most recently, HOME, where he led the creation of major developments in Southbank, Richmond and Docklands.

WE DEEPLY CONSIDER THE SITES WE SELECT, THEN BRING THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER FOR A REALLY COMPELLING LIVING EXPERIENCE

“But that’s just the beginning. The next mission is to implement and deliver on this promise through our experience and strong business foundation. We recognise that it’s a serious investment people are making with us and treating them with due respect and care is something that sets us apart.”

John Easy

John Easy

Head of Funds Management & General Counsel
Sam Nathan

Sam Nathan

Director of Markets

Prior to joining CASA, Sam was a partnership Director of property advisory firm Charter Keck Cramer, Managing Director of property services firm NPM, and Director-Residential at Colliers focussing on the marketing of premium grade residential and mixed-use developments and high value apartments in Melbourne’s prestige market.

ULTIMATELY, WE ARE CRAFTING SPACES WHERE WE OURSELVES WOULD BE HAPPY TO LIVE.

“I’ve always been passionate around the evolution of Melbourne and Sydney into world cities, how those cities are maturing and how homes we create are mirroring that. It’s about how we can configure something through clever site selection and design that meets and future proofs the building for our clients, echoing the way the city is going to evolve.”

Ash Roberts

Ash Roberts

Senior Design Manager

With over 10 years’ experience in design and property, Ash has worked for some of the world’s leading architecture practices including Foster + Partners and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. As a qualified Architect in both the UK and Australia, he has experience across a range of project scales and types, with an emphasis on high-end residential design.

WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT THERE’S A RICHNESS TO THE DESIGN THAT RESPONDS TO THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT.

“We look carefully at the characteristics of the site and how we can let that flow through the design. And instead of just designing something that it doesn’t respond to its surroundings and feels out of place, we do everything to make sure it feels as though it’s been there for years and, equally, stands the test of time.

Matt Leyshon

Matt Leyshon

Head of Origination & Development Director

Matt is Head of Origination and a Development Director at GFM and has more than 35 years’ experience in the property industry. He has held senior management roles over the last 20 years and has led major property developments across all key sectors including BTR and BTS residential, 
mixed use, office and infrastructure.

Development has to have purpose above returns  –  to me it is about making great places for people to live and work, that are uplifting and enhance our built environments.

Matt is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Property Committee at BHCL, one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit community housing providers. He holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Queensland.

Ross Osidacz

Ross Osidacz

Senior Development Manager

With 18 years of property industry experience across the commercial and residential sectors, Ross has held senior roles at prominent companies including MAB Corporation, Vicinity Centres and Multiplex. He has delivered many large-scale and award-winning projects, including complex apartment and mixed-use developments.

BUILDINGS NEED TO HAVE A PURPOSE. IT’S ABOUT BEING CONSIDERED, NOT EMBELLISHING THINGS FOR THE SAKE OF EMBELLISHING.

“We have a responsibility to our end purchasers, and we’re creating product that is very personal because it’s their homes, it’s their sanctuary. But we also have a responsibility to the broader community because the buildings that we are creating form part of that community, they form part of the fabric.”

Toby Lyng

Toby Lyng

Acquisitions Manager – VIC

With nearly 20 years of experience in the property and construction industry Toby has been involved in the acquisition and delivery of some of Melbourne’s most complex and large-scale mixed-use projects. He combines strategic thinking with deep market insights and a design-led approach to identify and secure opportunities across the CASA and GFM portfolios.

WE’RE VERY SELECTIVE. WE DON’T BUY A SITE OR ACTIVELY PURSUE A SITE JUST BECAUSE IT’S AVAILABLE.

“We’re targeting places that people want to live, areas that have all the right fundamentals. They’re close to public transport and they’re close to amenity like shops, bars, cafes and open space. And then we set out to deliver a building that’s right for the location and feels almost as though it has always been there.”

Ben Edwards

Ben Edwards

Acquisitions Manager - NSW

With over 10 years experience in the property and construction industry in the United Kingdom and Australia, Ben has been involved in some of London and Sydney’s most complex mixed-use projects. He combines strategic thinking with an in depth understanding of the planning process to identify and unlock premium development sites across the CASA and GFM portfolios.

In such a sophisticated market as Sydney, the focus of attention is on the identification and unlocking of scarce development opportunities

“We spend a significant amount of time considering the evolution of the city and identifying suburbs, precincts and individual sites that either now or over time will match our development philosophy”.

Kimberley Brooke

Kimberley Brooke

Development Project Manager

Kimberley brings over ten years of construction and project delivery experience to CASA. Throughout her career she has demonstrated a meticulous attention to detail ensuring that every aspect of a project 
meets the highest quality standards and enhances the living experience 
of the end user.

YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT WARMTH AND INVITING AMBIENCE TO CREATE 
A SENSE OF HOME.

”We put ourselves in the shoes of who is going to be living in the apartments 
to understand who these people are and actually deliver the most appropriate building for them. Instead of amenity spaces that won’t get used because they don’t suit the lifestyle, we think carefully about who will live in our buildings what will create the best living experiences for them.”

GFM is an Australian Living Sector Specialist creating and managing places which inspire people.

 

Established in 2010 as a private real estate fund and backed by global institutional investment, GFM brings unparalleled local knowledge coupled with decades of experience in funds management, development, design, construction delivery, asset management, marketing and operations.
GFM is a pioneer in the Australian build to rent market, and one of the first companies to own, develop and operate world class residential assets in Melbourne and Sydney under the HOME brand. In 2022 GFM expanded its portfolio with CASA, bringing to market exceptional residential projects in the build to sell arena across the country.

At GFM, our core values of Innovation, Community, Safety, and Sustainability drive our approach.

Through our robust Environmental, Social and Governance program, we are targeting to reduce our emissions to a sustainable long-term level. We take great pride in our customer and staff wellbeing initiatives – fostering vibrant resident and neighbourhood communities and our collaborations with local businesses. Our key partnership with not-for-profit organisation, Homes for Homes, demonstrates our strong commitment to relieving Australia’s homelessness crisis.

 

The GFM team’s broad and significant real estate experience enables the business to grow and continue to explore other frontiers in the property sector.